Sketchy information on a dodgy situation. That’s all anyone is working with at the moment, so it’s hard to know what the real significance might be. But a reported meeting Monday between cantankerous Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, his estranged wife (and opposing litigant) Shelly and aspiring NBA franchise owner Steve Ballmer suggests movement in some direction in the delayed sale of the team.

Depending how friendly the reported “friendly tak” was, it could represent a possible break in the legal wrangling and grinding court battle between Donald and Shelly Sterling, which has been holding up the $2 billion sale longer than the NBA would like. Or it could be a ploy by Donald, a casual chat of no great importance or a waste of time all around.

We’re past the point of clear, straight, discernible plot lines in this Hollywood tale.

The meeting was arranged Sunday night following a three-hour meeting earlier in the day between Donald and Shelly Sterling, sources said.

Donald Sterling had been preparing to file a new suit in state court on Monday morning before he and his wife spoke at length Sunday evening and he agreed to meet with Ballmer, sources said.

While Sterling famously called his wife “a pig” after she testified in the civil case against him two weeks ago, he was emotional when speaking about his love for her during his own testimony.

Shelly Sterling is due to testify again in the civil suit between the Sterlings on Tuesday. At issue in that case is whether Shelly Sterling was authorized to sell the franchise to Ballmer.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, speaking at the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting July 15 in Las Vegas, acknowledged that Donald Sterling still might own the Clippers by the start of the 2014-15 NBA season, based on his desire to fight the process and the pace of the proceedings. The initial deal with Shelly Sterling set a July 15 deadline for the sale to close, with the possibility that it might be extended to Aug. 15.

Silver said the NBA could resume its termination process according to the league’s constitution and by-laws if the Sterling’s probate battle drags on.

11 Comments

A great man by the name of Nelson Mandela, when he became the leader of south Africa he forgave all of those who made Hugh mistakes during the white supremacy in that country. He wanted to start new life in a country which was completely divided. Blacks were killing whites and vice versa. He made it. Today people of that country live in peace with one another. Something that surprises me is that why Mr. Adam Silver as the commissioner of NBA instead of coming and doing something similar to what Great Mandela did, he has created a Hugh fire which looks like the time of racism has got back to life. Mr. Commissioner, Mr. Donald Sterling is a human being like everybody else. He made his mistake and in my opinion he needs to be forgiven.

I have been a long time Clippers fan since the 80s when I was one of three people in LA that is a proud Clippers fan. But Sterling really just needs to go away into the sunset. But being a typical D#&khead that he is known for around LA, he wants to drag this on forever and take this battle to his grave. I wish he could see that in order for him to make up to a lot of people in LA and the NBA, he should just step aside and let the sale go and enjoy his earnings. After all, if he is still the owner at the start of the season, a lot of employees (and players) most likely will leave the team. I think I remember King, LBJ, was threatening to leave the NBA if Sterling is still the owner of the Clippers. That would be really bad for the league and the fans.

Max…2 doctors already did that. The findings are part of what is being fought about in court. Yes they did find alzheimers/dementia.

Ultimately Donald is going to lose. 2 Billion is a ton of money for a franchise that historically has been considered LA’s little brother team. Makes you wonder how much more the Lakers would go for if the Buss kids decided to sell. Up until the lucky pingpong ball gave the clippers Blake Griffin, Sterling has horribly mismanaged the team. Before Griffin the clippers only made the playoffs a handful of times. The lakers have more championships than the clippers have playoff appearances I am pretty sure. If Sterling would have wanted to escape the shadow of the Lakers, he should have managed the team better. Can I call this situation the nba’s form of dementia?…….. or is that too insensitive to people actually suffering from dementia? I apologize if it is. Either way the league will be better off once Donald Sterling is banished once and for all. I do hope the players boycott if things do not go through the way that the league needs it to. Regardless what happens Sterling needs to be gone.

Dont sell if you don’t want to. Being racist is not a illness that can define you unfit to own a team, My pov on this: is the guy is racist but he didn’t bring that racism to work, he has several coaches + players that are being paid on equal terms than the white guys , performance is the only thing i would care if i was the lead on any company.

I am quite sure that not just you but everyone else hopes that when you are a sick old man you don’t savagely attack the hands that feed you, hiding cowardly behind closed doors and spewing contempt on people whose only offense was to be born a different color from you. If you don’t do that sort of thing, nothing at all will happen to you. But if you maintain that you have the right to be offensive but not reap what you have sown, you will very likely get the shiiit thrown right back at you like Sterling did.

Please somebody give this message to Donald Sterling. Donald needs to sell the team. The Clips are selling for double what the Lakers are worth and 4 times more than the rest of the teams. The damage is done Donald. Players won’t play if he continues to own. Donald is going to come out winning by selling the team. Just do it and stop throwing away your money. If I was the owner I’d hate to let my team go but with everything going on I’d sell because 2 billion is a lot of dough. Pay all your debts and enjoy the rest of your life. At 85 I wouldn’t waste it on fighting and working when you should be having fun.